Mark Mather

The Coast Guard funded a $10 million study with arguably the best environmental research company in the nation to determine what, if any, negative impact cargo sweeping had on the Great Lakes. The study targeted routes traveled by thousands of ships for nearly a century, and the "worst" area identified, off Sandusky, Ohio found an amount of cargo residue equivalent to 3 cups of material spread evenly over the area of a football field. The study examined areas that were traversed by many, many ships over the years. At one time there were over 600 US flagged ships sailing on the lakes. Currently, there are only 62 US flagged ships operating on the Great Lakes. Advances in technology, employing best management practices, and the acute environmental awareness of today's professional mariner have reduced the amount of cargo residue to negligible levels, as evidenced by the current DCR reporting requirements. Much of that residue consists of natural material, particularly limestone, which has beneficial properties for fish habitat and the health of the lakes. As a professional mariner, and more importantly, an avid Great Lakes fisherman, I don't think anyone would dispute the fact that the Great Lakes are cleaner now than they were 40 years ago. My friends in the shipping industry live, work and play in our Great Lakes waters. They have a vested interest in the long term health of the lakes, and they are committed to reducing ANY harmful discharges into our waters. The studies have been done, and good science has determined that there has been no negative impact from "cargo sweeping" on our Great Lakes to date, and the amount of cargo entering the water is only a fraction of that discharged historically. There is no scientific basis to prohibit the continued practice of cargo sweeping as it exists today.